We are not reading someone else's mail--as though reading the Bible had to do foremost with recovering an ancient meaning intended for someone else and then translating its principles for use in our own lives. When we recall that we are the people of God to whom the Bible is addressed as Scripture, we realize that the fundamental transformation is not the transformation of an ancient message into a contemporary meaning, bur rather the transformation of our lives by means of God's Word. This means that reading the Bible as Scripture has less to do with what tools we bring to the task, however important these may be, and more to do with our own dispositions as we come to our engagement with Scripture. We come not so much to retrieve facts or to gain information, but to be formed and ultimately, transformed. Scripture does not present us with texts to be mastered but with a Word, God's Word, intent on mastering us, on shaping our lives.

     For more than thirty years, John Piper pastored in the rough and tumble realities of downtown Minneapolis, preaching his people through the ups and down of life one Sunday at a time. When it came to capturing a generation of joy in one final sermon series, he turned to ten trademark truths to leave ringing in his peoples’ ears. These ten are world-shaking truths—each astonishing in its own way. First they turned Piper’s own world upside down. Then his church’s. And they will continue to turn the whole world upside down as the gospel of Christ advances in distance and depth. These surprising doctrines, as Piper writes, are “wildly untamable, explosively uncontainable, and electrically future-creating.” Join a veteran author, pastor, and Christian leader as he captures the ten astonishing, compassionate, life-giving, joy-awakening, hope-sustaining truths that have held everything together for him. (This book is a revised edition of the earlier title, Doctrine Matters.)

     But God's Word says, "Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near" (Revelation 1:3). Prepare to be blessed in an entertaining and meaningful way! The Non-Prophet's Guide to the End Times combines engaging illustrations with down-to-earth explanations to help you navigate the ins and outs of Bible prophecy. There's no better time to grasp God's plans for the future—and for you—than this very moment.

    But most don't know how to build intentional relationships with people from different backgrounds.Across the Street and Around the World offers an answer to those Christians wondering, Is it possible to engage with people of other cultures right now, in my everyday world—or even beyond?Step by step, it helps them see how to prepare their souls, reshape their worldviews, and redesign their patterns of life to become the sort of people who can represent Jesus across cultural lines and take part in God's plans for their neighborhoods, their cities, and the world.

    Christianity is based on the foundation of the good news of the gospel. Yet how many Christians truly find their identity there? How many are thriving in a community clinging to the gospel? How many forget about the wondrous glory of Jesus? J. A. Medders is on a mission to help Christians remember that the power that raised Jesus from the dead is also the power for our everyday life in Christ.Yet living a gospel-centered life does not always come easily. The biblical meditations in Gospel Formed help to kindle, or rekindle, the passion to live a grace-addicted, truth-filled, Jesus-exalting life by constantly driving the reader back to the power of the cross and the empty tomb. Funny, punchy, and theologically accessible, readers will be encouraged, challenged, and ultimately reoriented to the true North of Christianity--Christ Himself.

    Boyd tackles the Bible’s biggest dilemma. The Old Testament God of wrath and violence versus the New Testament God of love and peace—it’s a difference that has troubled Christians since the first century. Now, with the sensitivity of a pastor and the intellect of a theologian, Gregory A. Boyd proposes the “cruciform hermeneutic,” a way to read the Old Testament portraits of God through the lens of Jesus’ crucifixion.In Cross Vision, Boyd follows up on his epic and groundbreaking study, The Crucifixion of the Warrior God. He shows how the death and resurrection of Jesus reframes the troubling violence of the Old Testament, how all of Scripture reveals God’s self-sacrificial love, and, most importantly, how we can follow Jesus’ example of peace.

    And so the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) was born, with Wayne Gordon an immediate and enthusiastic participant. Nearly thirty years later CCDA's eight key components of community development still set the bar for how churches, parachurches and nonprofits engage cities with the whole gospel.Relocation Reconciliation Redistribution Leadership Development Listening to the Community Church-Based Development A Wholistic Approach to Ministry Empowerment In Making Neighborhoods Whole Perkins and Gordon revisit these eight commitments and how they've played out in real communities, even as they scan the horizon of urban ministry to set a new tone. With profiles of longstanding and emerging community development ministries, they guide a new conversation and empower disciples of Jesus to seek the welfare of their cities to the glory of God.

    Bailey examines the life and ministry of Jesus with attention to the Lord's Prayer, the Beatitudes, Jesus' relationship to women, and especially Jesus' parables. Through it all, Bailey employs his trademark expertise as a master of Middle Eastern culture to lead you into a deeper understanding of the person and significance of Jesus within his own cultural context. With a sure but gentle hand, Bailey lifts away the obscuring layers of modern Western interpretation to reveal Jesus in the light of his actual historical and cultural setting. This entirely new material from the pen of Ken Bailey is a must-have for any student of the New Testament. If you have benefited from Bailey's work over the years, this book will be a welcome and indispensable addition to your library. If you are unfamiliar with Bailey's work, this book will introduce you to a very old yet entirely new way of understanding Jesus.

    If you're wondering who God is, or if He cares, let Andrew Wommack show you The True Nature of God.

    . . . I did have stories. I hadn’t dared to tell many people about them, but I definitely had had what I believed to be encounters with the Divine. I wondered if many other people had stories too. What happened next surprised me most. I realized that a Divine intelligence that many people call God is connecting with millions of people every day. These are their stories.” —from the IntroductionIn God Stories, Jennifer Skiff shares the extraordinary experiences of people who have felt the power of God’s presence in their lives and been forever changed. A doctor opens the chest of a dying heart patient to discover her heart is healed; Marines watch as a fellow soldier in Iraq is hit by a powerful explosion only to discover, when the dust settles, that he is still standing and has no injuries; a struggling couple receive an answer to a prayer and are prevented from making a mistake that could cost them their children; a young woman loses her boyfriend on 9/11 and receives a message that brings her peace.Reassuring, hopeful, and unforgettable, these amazing confirmations of divine intervention will lift your spirit and leave you wondering—and even remembering—when your life was touched by a miracle.

    Along with examples of prayer from the author's own prayer life, Lord, Teach Me to Pray includes classic Puritan prayers, pages for personal prayers and God's answers. This gift book guides the reader's understanding of what prayer truly is, teaching us how to pray, what to pray, and the purpose of prayer. It not only reveals the biblical importance of prayer, but also deepens one's fellowship with the Father.

    God is assembling the cast of characters and making preparations for the final scene--a scene so powerfully dramatic that nothing could possibly compare. In Earth’s Final Moments, New York Times best-selling author Pastor John Hagee unveils how biblical prophecy and current world events are intersecting to give us an unparalleled glimpse into our planet’s final days. Aligning prophecy with End Time signs, he describes Israel’s emerging opponent and reveals the shock and awe of God’s coming judgment against those who oppose His people. As the Jewish people return to their homeland and the situation in the Middle East continues to deteriorate, you can’t afford to miss what comes next.

    She, having lived through great loss, taught on God’s grace in the midst of hardship, as well as teaching wives and mothers to fulfill the high calling of Titus 2. In her final book, Elisabeth Elliot describes how it is often through the deepest suffering that God teaches us the deepest lessons. As we trust Him through our trials, we come to a greater assurance of His love and sovereignty—even as He works all things together for the good of those who love Him.

    His touch extended grace to the sick and sinful of ancient Palestine and left a miracle in its wake. And his ministry hasn't ceased. Today, he looks for willing hearts and hands through which he can heal a needy world.Dr. David Stevens knows. His eleven years at Tenwek Hospital in Kenya have shown him more than the drama and sacrifice of missionary medicine. In Jesus, M.D. Dr. Stevens shares the insights he has gained into the character, power, and purposes of the Great Physician and what it means for you to follow in his footsteps.This is more than a book of dramatic, true-life stories. It is an inspiring and challenging invitation to partner with Jesus in his "practice," accompanying him on his rounds to people whose lives he wants to make whole. Discover how to participate with him in bringing his healing touch to your corner of the world. You don't need a medical education--just determination to trust God as your "attending physician," your mentor, your source of guidance, discipline, and encouragement.Dr. Stevens takes you inside stories from the Bible to obtain challenging perspectives and life-changing truths. You'll also get an inside look at life-or-death surgeries; the tense, powerful relationship between resident and attending physicians; the overcrowded patient quarters of a missionary hospital; what it's like to improvise an emergency facial reconstruction; and much more. Best of all, you'll gain surprising insights from the life and methods of Jesus, the ultimate doctor, in his ministry to desperately needy people two thousand years ago . . . and today.Electrifying, moving, and thought-provoking, Jesus, M.D. will help you see your relationship with God and your world in a brand-new light. Your life is filled with incredible possibilities waiting to unfold one by one as you walk in the presence and provision of Dr. Jesus.

    I couldn’t put it down.”—Todd Harper, President of Generous Giving "As I read Gospel Patrons, I found myself weeping for joy. I was inspired by the men and women who invested their resources, influence, and time to strategically partner with those who were sharing the good news of Jesus Christ."—Howard Dayton, Founder of Compass-finances God’s way"Gospel Patrons is one of the most important books I have seen this year! It's 100 years overdue and these untold stories urgently need to be told today."—George Verwer, Founder of Operation Mobilization“The Gospel Patrons in this book were men and women who added the catalytic spark to enable astounding works of God.”—Bob Shank, Founder of The Master’s Program"This is a great read! I love the way these stories paint a picture of stewarding relationship, affluence and influence to lay up treasure in heaven."—David Wills, President of the National Christian FoundationThis book tells three stories of Gospel Patrons whose generosity was a catalyst for great movements of God. Their examples invite us to:•Find our parts to play in God's kingdom• Give our lives to what matters most• Live for a lasting legacyFor discounted pricing on bulk orders, please visit: gospelpatrons.com